AlterNet.org: Keli Goffhttps://www.alternet.org/authors/keli-goff
enChris Brown Was Sexually Assaulted -- And He Deserves Our Sympathyhttps://www.alternet.org/chris-brown-was-sexually-assaulted-and-he-deserves-our-sympathy
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<div class="field field-name-field-teaser field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">The singer confessed that he lost his virginity at age 8.
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<!--smart_paging_autop_filter--><p> </p><p><em>The following article first appeared on <a href="http://www.theroot.com">the Root. </a></em></p><p>(The Root) -- Like most people with a modicum of common sense, I have long considered Chris Brown to be a pretty despicable human being. Besides his horrific assault on ex-girlfriend Rihanna, there was his almost total lack of remorse after the event, followed by a series of additional violent outbursts, including a notorious incident at <a href="http://www.tmz.com/2011/03/22/chris-brown-gma-good-morning-america-rihanna-robin-roberts-violent-outburst-smash-shirt-hair-and-makeup-glass/" target="_blank">Good Morning America.</a> (Here's a hint to Mr. Brown and anyone else trying to convince the world that he or she doesn't have an anger-management problem: Try not to get angry or act violent if someone asks you about your violent past.)</p><p>Making Brown's distasteful behavior all the more disappointing is that he's actually immensely talented -- a rarity in an era of lip-synching and Auto-Tune. But almost inevitably from the moment he opens his mouth to speak, either in interviews or on social media, he manages to overshadow his talent as a performer and remind so many of us why we can't stand him.</p><p>In his most recent high-profile interview, however, Brown did something surprising. He managed to win over some of his staunchest critics, if not as fans, at least as sympathizers, including yours truly.</p><p>In a recent interview with <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/oct/04/chris-brown-rihanna-interview-x" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>, Brown was asked about his first sexual experience. He replied that he lost his virginity at 8 years old. Though the interviewer claims that he chuckled while recounting the memory, the article states that the girl to whom he "lost his virginity" was 14 or 15. Countless news outlets around the world have since picked up the anecdote. Most of them have run with some version of the headline "<a href="http://www.eonline.com/news/467222/chris-brown-says-he-lost-his-virginity-at-8-years-old-slams-his-latest-community-service-order" target="_blank">Chris</a> Brown <a href="http://www.vibe.com/article/chris-brown-says-he-lost-his-virginity-age-8" target="_blank">Lost</a> His Virginity at 8."<br /> </p><p> </p><p>Except, an 8-year-old does not "lose his virginity" to a 14- or 15-year-old. That is sexual assault.</p><p>Brown blithely dismissed the significance of his young age, blaming it on small-town life by simply saying, "It's different in the country." The fact that Brown seems oblivious to the reality that he was victimized speaks volumes about why he has grown into a young man so clearly confused about what constitutes healthy interactions with the opposite sex. But the fact that the media also seem oblivious to the reality that he was victimized is incredibly disturbing.</p><p>If a young female celebrity said that she had lost her virginity at age 8 to a 15-year-old boy, there would be outrage. Then there would likely be calls for justice. But Brown's story is further proof that when the victim is a young male, a sex crime is treated with a collective shrug.</p><p>Recently there has been extensive coverage of the tragic case of a Montana teen who committed suicide after being raped by her teacher, who ultimately received just a <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/25/us/montana-teacher-rape/index.html" target="_blank">30-day jail sentence</a>. The National Organization for Women swept in to lead a protest against the judge responsible for the light sentence after the judge accused the victim of <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/28/justice/montana-teacher-rape-sentence/index.html" target="_blank">seeming</a> "older than her chronological age." Yet there have been numerous cases in which female teachers are the sexual predators and manage to avoid jail time altogether. You can read about some of them <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57603144-504083/debra-lafave-update-ex-fla-teacher-convicted-for-having-sex-with-student-asks-court-to-end-probation/" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/US/teacher-nfl-dancer-avoids-jail-sex-student/story?id=17424937" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2013/09/23/Ex-teacher-avoids-jail-for-sex-with-student/UPI-20921379962841/" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57589354-504083/erin-sayar-n.y-teacher-accused-of-sex-with-student-avoids-jail-after-pleading-guilty-report-says/" target="_blank">here</a><wbr></wbr>.</p><p>Need further proof that female sexual predators are not taken seriously? There is actually a website devoted to ranking the "<a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/hottest-teachers-caught-sleeping-with-students/trent-walker?page=1" target="_blank">Hottest Teachers Caught Sleeping With Students</a>," which features photo after photo of fairly attractive female teachers accused of breaking the law.</p><p>Brown's confession about his sexual assault was not the only enlightening admission to emerge in The Guardian interview. Brown's <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/oct/04/chris-brown-rihanna-interview-x" target="_blank">recollection</a> of the abuse that his mother suffered at the hands of his stepfather is also referenced and sheds further light on the troubled young man he has become today.</p><p>For the record, there are plenty of men and women who come from difficult backgrounds who go on to become law-abiding citizens who ultimately leave the world better than they found it. Oprah Winfrey, Mo'Nique and others have triumphed over childhood sexual abuse to become successful people who also happen to be decent human beings. Chris Brown's past is no excuse for his often-lousy behavior in the present. But it does explain a lot, mainly why he needs so much help.</p><p>As I have previously written on <a href="http://www.theroot.com/views/do-whites-have-mental-health-advantage" target="_blank">The Root</a>, black men are those least likely to seek out mental-health resources. But Brown's story is a powerful reminder that it is often our men who are hurting the most. Here's hoping that Brown's startling confession helps change the way we as a society talk about male survivors of sexual abuse. Here's also hoping that the discussion Brown's confession has sparked inspires him to seek the help he so desperately needs. For the first time in a long time, I can honestly say I'm rooting for him.</p><p>Keli Goff is The Root's special correspondent. Follow her on <a href="https://twitter.com/keligoff" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.</p><p>Like <a href="https://www.facebook.com/theRoot" target="_blank">The Root on Facebook</a>. Follow us on <a href="https://twitter.com/theroot247" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.</p> Wed, 09 Oct 2013 10:58:00 -0700Keli Goff, The Root907725 at https://www.alternet.orgchris brownHave Black Americans Left Baseball?https://www.alternet.org/media/have-black-americans-left-baseball
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<div class="field field-name-field-teaser field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">The decline of African-American participation in baseball is a stark contrast to the days of the Negro Leagues when baseball was seen as more than a mere sport but was also a community pastime.</div></div></div><!-- All divs have been put onto one line because of whitespace issues when rendered inline in browsers -->
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<!--smart_paging_autop_filter--><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;">While the Jackie Robinson biopic 42 has become a certified success, attracting a</span><a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-box-office-42-scary-movie-20130414,0,7996076.story" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(61, 49, 170); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;">diverse audience </a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;">on its way to becoming No. 1 at the box office during its opening weekend, black Americans are still facing barriers to the baseball field.</span><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;">The opening of 42 occurred several days before the annual celebration of Jackie Robinson Day -- April 15, the day Robinson officially broke the color barrier -- when every baseball player, manager, coach and umpire in Major League Baseball sports his number, 42. But in recent decades, the number of African-American players has decreased with each passing year.</span><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><a href="http://www.theroot.com/buzz/blacks-dwindle-again-jackie-robinson-day" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(61, 49, 170); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;">According to reports</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;">, the representation of African-American players in professional baseball is at its lowest point since Robinson and others first began integrating the game, at just around </span><a href="http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/story/2012-04-15/baseball-jackie-robinson/54302108/1" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(61, 49, 170); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;">8 percent</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;">. That marks a significant decline from the 1970s, when some estimates placed the representation of black players at around 27 percent. Baseball historian Rob Ruck says the percentage of African-American players was probably closer to 19 percent in the 1970s, while the 27 percent number likely includes Afro-Caribbean and Afro-Latino players.</span><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;">The decline of African-American participation in baseball is a stark contrast to the days of the Negro Leagues, which nurtured Robinson, when baseball was seen as more than a mere sport but was also a community pastime. The reason for the sport's decline in black American communities is complex and multilayered.</span><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" /><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" /><b style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;">Cost Is a Factor</b><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;">Baseball Hall of Famer </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006QS85H0/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=root04c-20&amp;camp=0&amp;creative=0&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=B006QS85H0&amp;adid=0NN8NTJQQ9A08SZGZ8DY" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(61, 49, 170); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;">Dave Winfield,</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;"> who is African American, currently serves as executive vice president and senior adviser of the San Diego Padres. He chalked up the decline in African-American participation in the sport to "the three C's," which, he told The Root, stand for continuity, cost and competition. Continuity, he explained, means the importance of consistent exposure to the sport throughout a player's school years, something that is less likely to happen today because of the second C, which is cost.</span><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;">Baseball "didn't cost me much as I grew up," he said. "There were no travel teams/club teams, tournaments you have to pay for now." He then explained the third C, competition. "When I grew up, baseball was No. 1 in America. Now it has the competition of the other sports -- NBA, NFL, golf, you name it."</span><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;">Ruck, author of </span><i style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0807048054/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=root04c-20&amp;camp=0&amp;creative=0&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=0807048054&amp;adid=04SF15Z4WZW2KTBWGMME" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(61, 49, 170);">Raceball: How the Major Leagues Colonized the Black and Latin Game</a></i><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;">, echoed Winfield's sentiments regarding the financial barriers to the sport that now exist for many poor kids, a socioeconomic reality disproportionately represented in communities of color. Little League and club expenses as well as travel can run between $3,000 and $5,000 annually, expenses that by default make economic and racial diversity less likely among participants.</span><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;">Charles Clark is the only African-American manager of a Little League team in North Tampa, Fla. In an interview with The Root, he discussed his firsthand experience with the costs. "A typical quality baseball bat for a child is $300." Clark has three sons, all of whom participate in the sport, meaning he spends a minimum of close to $1,000 on bats alone, which pales in comparison to the other potential costs.</span><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;">Clark explained that while there is Little League, in which nonprofit teams are sponsored by local businesses, and all kids have an opportunity to play, travel ball has become big business. Travel ball teams are where Little League's best and brightest compete. The fees to participate in such a team can cost between $500 and $1,200, not including uniforms and other miscellaneous expenses.</span><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;">Though Little League exists as a lower-cost option for those who can't afford the expense of travel ball, Clark explained that for kids hoping to go pro, "they would need the exposure of being in travel ball." That's where scouts, coaches and professional baseball players and others connected to the MLB discover future stars. The class divide in baseball, however, extends far beyond childhood.</span><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;">According to Ruck, "Very few black kids go to college to play baseball. Last decade it was, like, under 5 percent of all NCAA baseball players on scholarship were black, versus 10 to 15 times higher in basketball and football. The reason is twofold. If you play college football or basketball, you get a full scholarship. If you play college baseball, you might be one of 25 to 35 kids who are splitting 11.7 scholarships, so you don't get a full scholarship. You might get a quarter scholarship or half scholarship. If you can't afford the rest of that, you're not going to play baseball but a sport that can give you a full ride." </span><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><b style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;">Fathers Play a Significant Role</b><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;">Clark's involvement in the sport at the Little League level highlights another reason cited by Ruck for the decline in baseball in the African-American community: fathers. Ruck explained that baseball is a sport defined in part by the bond between fathers and sons. Boys learn to play catch at an early age, usually with a father. (This is such a defining cultural image that it is currently being parodied in a popular </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxAo8_JySkM" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(61, 49, 170); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;">car commercial</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;">.)</span><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;">Ruck explained, "When we start to see the collapse of the two-headed household -- which I think hits black families because of class reasons more than white families -- you no longer have boys who grow up in homes with fathers who teach them the love and the lore of the game." Clark agreed that baseball is a sport in which the role of fathers is particularly important.</span><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;">"Cultural cachet" is also cited as a reason for the sport's decline in popularity, with certain sports carrying a level of prestige on various continents and within communities. For instance, soccer is a much more popular sport in Brazil, making it more likely that a young Brazilian will grow up wanting to be a professional soccer player, just as a young Canadian is more likely to grow up wanting to be a professional hockey player.</span><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;">"Everybody wants to be like Mike," Ruck said, referring to Michael Jordan, the African-American basketball icon who influenced an entire generation of aspiring black athletes.</span><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" /><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" /><b style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;">Integration Crippled Negro Leagues</b><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" /><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;">But perhaps the biggest reason baseball has declined in the African-American community is the most ironic reason of all: Jackie Robinson. Once the MLB was integrated, the Negro Leagues collapsed. While white executives who opposed integration worried that black players would scare white fans away, instead white fans stayed, and black fans came in droves.</span><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;">"Jackie Robinson allowed the Brooklyn Dodgers to set attendance records," said Ruck. "The Pittsburgh Courier, the black newspaper, said, 'Jackie's nimble. Jackie's quick. Jackie makes the turnstiles click,' " a testament to Robinson's popularity with fans.</span><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;">"Major League Baseball ends up profiting immensely in terms of fans, in terms of great players," Ruck continued. "But they don't bring in black teams -- they could have brought in the Newark Eagles or the Homestead Grays or the Kansas City Monarchs [Negro League teams]. They don't bring in black ownership. They don't bring in black managers or front-office people, and for the next 40 years, the front office and managerial ranks and ownership ranks are almost exclusively white."</span><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;">Ruck went on to explain that by not incorporating Negro League teams into the minor-league operations, where the MLB continued to groom, nurture and recruit its future stars for years, major-league integration essentially gutted the Negro Leagues, leaving them with no audience. Worse, it left black players who were not superstars like Robinson with no infrastructure like the sandlot community clubs, which operated as the minor-league equivalent to the Negro Leagues; those clubs disappeared, too.</span><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;">That left aspiring black ballplayers with few options for training and being discovered, particularly since, as demonstrated in the film 42, the minor leagues were concentrated in the South. This made pursuing a career there not a particularly attractive proposition for African-American men, especially those who did not have a high-profile sponsor and protector like Robinson did in Dodger General Manager Branch Rickey.</span><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;" /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.609375px;">Ruck did say, though, that ultimately there might be more important issues to focus on than the lack of diversity on baseball diamonds. "I don't think this is a big problem for black America not to have as many baseball players as it once had. I think African Americans in this country are well-represented in athletics. I think I'd like to see more ownership, more front office. I'd like to see positions of power off the field increase the ranks of African Americans. But I think if anything, one could argue that there's too much of a focus on sports in black America, to the detriment of education and vocation."</span></p> Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:07:00 -0700Keli Goff, The Root828892 at https://www.alternet.orgMediaMediaNews & PoliticsbaseballWould African-Americans Have Been Better Off If Hillary Were Elected?https://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/would-african-americans-have-been-better-if-hillary-were-elected
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<div class="field field-name-field-teaser field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">It might have been easier to press her for change than it has been with Obama, say some observers.</div></div></div><!-- All divs have been put onto one line because of whitespace issues when rendered inline in browsers -->
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<!--smart_paging_autop_filter--> <p>The same day that President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made headlines for their first joint interview, on <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18560_162-57565734/obama-and-clinton-the-60-minutes-interview/" target="_blank"><em>60 Minutes</em></a>, NAACP President Ben Jealous delighted conservatives with his headline-making interview on another Sunday news program. Appearing on <em>Meet the Press,</em> Jealous <a href="http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-TV?id=%7B78DEAE13-F262-4B8E-BD18-E0D5C4B98973%7D&amp;title=NAACP-President-Blacks-Worst-Off-Under-Obama-Accomplished-Nothing-On-Jobs" target="_blank">said</a>, "Right now when you look at joblessness in this country -- the country is pretty much back to where it was when this president started. White people are doing a bit better. <a href="http://thegrio.com/2012/08/07/obama-im-not-the-president-of-black-america/" target="_blank">Black folks</a> are doing a full point worse."</p><p>Also on <em>Meet the Press,</em> onetime vice presidential candidate, and current member of the House, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/27/paul-ryan-hillary-clinton_n_2561817.html" target="_blank">Paul Ryan offered this theory</a> regarding the current economic battles facing our country: "Look, if we had a [Hillary] Clinton presidency, if we had Erskine Bowles as chief of staff of the White House or president of the United States, I think we would have fixed this fiscal mess by now," Ryan said. "[But] that's not the kind of presidency we're dealing with right now."</p><p>Both pronouncements raise questions that have been pondered by some political watchers since the conclusion of the 2008 presidential election: Would African Americans have fared better under a Hillary Clinton presidency than under Obama (and will they if she runs and wins in 2016)?</p><p><strong>Does President Obama Get a Pass?</strong></p><p>Jealous' remarks illustrate a reality that has disappointed some African Americans, who were hopeful that a black presidency would lead to an improvement in conditions for black America. However, addressing that disappointment has been tricky, particularly for black lawmakers.</p><p>In a <a href="http://www.theroot.com/blogs/president-barack-obama/head-cbc-why-gay-marriage-will-cost-obama">previous interview with </a><em><strong><a href="http://www.theroot.com/blogs/president-barack-obama/head-cbc-why-gay-marriage-will-cost-obama">The Root</a>,</strong></em> the former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.), said, "Well, I'm supposed to say he doesn't get a pass, but I'm not going to say that. Look, as the chair of the Black Caucus, I've got to tell you, we are always hesitant to criticize the president. With <a href="http://laborcenter.berkeley.edu/blackworkers/monthly/bwreport_2012-09-07_52.pdf" target="_blank">14 percent [black] unemployment</a> [pdf], if we had a white president, we'd be marching around the White House."</p><p>Cleaver added, "The president knows we are going to act in deference to him in a way we wouldn't to someone white." Cleaver's point, that African Americans would be tougher on a white president regarding the dismal unemployment numbers that have plagued the black community, lends credence to the notion that black Americans might actually have fared better under Clinton -- if you accept the premise that a politician will address the needs of a constituency that holds him or her accountable.</p><p>In an interview with <em><strong>The Root</strong></em><strong>,</strong> African-American radio host Mark Thompson, the host of Sirius Radio's <em>Make It Plain,</em> described the difference between a Hillary Clinton presidency and Barack Obama's this way: "If she had won, I think that the African-American community would have held her to a higher level of accountability and would have even demanded more and probably would have been more willing to agitate ... for its needs. "</p><p>He continued: "The current scenario is politically, the first African-American president doesn't want to appear to show favoritism towards African Americans, and African Americans in turn don't want to harm and confront the first African-American president -- so we've pretty much neutralized each other."</p><p>African-American Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) once <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/08/17/rep-waters-to-frustrated-black-voters-unleash-us-on-obama/" target="_blank">made a similar argument, </a>saying that many black members of Congress were worried that their constituents would be displeased if they were perceived as being too tough on the first black president. Adding to the complexity Thompson speaks of, Obama has faced endless, unfounded criticism for allegedly being biased toward African Americans since taking office. One poll found that <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/02/large-portion-of-gop-thin_n_445951.html" target="_blank">31 percent of Republicans believe</a> the president is "a racist who hates white people." Former Fox News host <a href="http://www.politico.com/blogs/michaelcalderone/0709/Foxs_Beck_Obama_is_a_racist.html" target="_blank">Glenn Beck famously called</a> the president a racist "who has a deep-seated hatred for white people or the white culture."</p><p><strong>Did Clinton Lose Her Pass?</strong></p><p>During their <a href="http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/01/clinton-obama-sixty-minutes-interview.html?imw=Y" target="_blank"><em>60 Minutes</em> appearance, </a>Obama and Clinton intimated that part of what made their presidential primary fight so bitter is that they actually had few policy differences. When it comes to policies directly affecting African Americans, for instance, both support <a href="http://www.ontheissues.org/News_Affirmative_Action.htm" target="_blank">affirmative action</a>.</p><p>The secretary of state and her husband enjoyed immense support and trust among the black community -- so much so that former President Clinton was once dubbed "the first black president." But their image within the black community was somewhat tarnished by controversial comments the former president made about his wife's then foe. Among them, Bill Clinton seemed to dismiss the viability of Obama's campaign for the presidency by <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2008/01/bubba-obama-is/" target="_blank">saying of his South Carolina primary win</a>, "Jesse Jackson won South Carolina in '84 and '88. Jackson ran a good campaign. And Obama ran a good campaign here."</p><p>Former President Clinton also faced<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/08/us/welfare-limits-left-poor-adrift-as-recession-hit.html?pagewanted=all&amp;_r=0" target="_blank"> criticism</a> that by shepherding policies like welfare reform, he ultimately did more harm than good for low-income people of color, who were hit disproportionately by such measures.</p><p>But the reason the question lingers as to whether black Americans would have done better under Hillary Clinton can perhaps best be summarized by a baseball analogy. In a previous interview with <em><strong>The Root,</strong></em> when asked to give President Obama a grade for handling the economy, civil rights activist the Rev. Jesse Jackson gave the president a solid B. But he went on to draw parallels between the president and Jackie Robinson.</p><p>"When Jackie got drafted, everyone who was black was a Jackie fan and a Dodgers fan," Jackson said. But he continued that after a few years, as more players of color joined the league, "we could be fans based on productivity." His point? That's where black Americans can be now with the president: judging him on results.</p><p>Unprompted, Mark Thompson mentioned the Jackie Robinson analogy, too, but for a slightly different reason. "The phenomenon in our relationship [between the black community and the president] is we are following the version of the Branch Rickey and Jackie Robinson 'Don't fight back' mantra." Thompson was referring to the white baseball executive who famously coached Jackie Robinson to be a pioneer for his people by integrating the major leagues, but warned him that doing so would require that Robinson turn the other cheek -- at least in the beginning. "But that ban," Thompson noted, "was lifted after two years, and no one messed with Jackie after that."</p><p>"Enough time has elapsed that the rule has been lifted for both of us [African Americans and Obama] -- but we are both still acting on that rule," he continued. "The African-American community has been silenced out of fear of hurting the first African-American president. If it had been Hillary, we would not have been afraid [to criticize]."</p> Wed, 30 Jan 2013 14:06:00 -0800Keli Goff, The Root786318 at https://www.alternet.orgNews & PoliticsNews & Politicshillary clintonbarack obamaafrican americanblackMcCain Does Not Believe Gay People Can Be Parentshttps://www.alternet.org/story/91589/mccain_does_not_believe_gay_people_can_be_parents
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<div class="field field-name-field-teaser field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">&quot;I think that we&#039;ve proven that both parents are important in the success of a family so, no, I don&#039;t believe in gay adoption.&quot;</div></div></div><!-- All divs have been put onto one line because of whitespace issues when rendered inline in browsers -->
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<!--smart_paging_autop_filter--><br />It's no secret that last week was not a good one for John McCain. His old friend, Phil Gramm, demonstrated such a sad case of foot in mouth disease with his <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/13/AR2008071301822.html">"mental recession" line</a> that it was almost as though Gramm was acting as an Obama campaign covert operative. Then McCain had a <a href="http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/07/10/mccain-avoids-viagra-question/">little trouble performing</a>, shall we say, when asked by a reporter to clarify his position on insurance coverage of Viagra but not of contraception. But those may not be the only media moments from last week that come back to haunt McCain on the general election campaign trail.<br /><br /><br /><br />In an interview with the <em>New York Times</em>, McCain sought to affirm his conservative credentials. This included stating definitively that he <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/13/us/politics/13mccain.html?hp">opposes adoption rights</a> for gay and lesbian couples. On Sunday, celebrity gossip blogger Perez Hilton (real name Mario Lavandeira) selected McCain's statement on the matter as his "Quote of the Day." The quote simply reads, "I think that we've proven that both parents are important in the success of a family so, no, I don't believe in gay adoption." At last count <a href="http://perezhilton.com/2008-07-13-quote-of-the-day-264">Hilton's post garnered around 700 comments</a>, some of which are blatantly homophobic, (which is ironic considering Lavandeira himself is openly gay, which begs the question: if you disapprove of gay people so much why are you visiting a blog run by one?). But for the most part, the comments -- many of which are too colorful to print here -- highlight a fundamental problem for John McCain as he tries to formulate a winning strategy for November: How to win an election decided by voters in the middle, while continuing to pander to voters on the right.<br /><!-- All divs have been put onto one line because of whitespace issues when rendered inline in browsers -->
<div class="field field-name-field-bio field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"> <!--smart_paging_autop_filter--> </div></div></div>Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:01 -0700Keli Goff, Huffington Post648163 at https://www.alternet.orgPEEKSex & RelationshipsPEEKElection 2008Old_Blog Type Contentobamaadoptiongay marriagemccainglbt